Car-door lock



April 20, 1926.

O. D. PARKER CAR DOOR LOCK F iled July 13, 1-925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,581,864 PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS I). PARKER, PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA.

CAR-DOOR LOCK.

Application filed July 13, 1925. Serial No. 43,334.

for the sliding doors of railway freight cars and has for its object the provision of a novel device which will hold the door in locked position and which will replace the usual hasp structure commonly used at the present time. I I

An important object is the provision of a locking device of this character which is provided with a movable element normally engaging behind the rear edge of the doorat the lower corner thereof for holding the door firmly in its closed position, the holding element being swingable into release position whereby the door may be opened when desired. I

Another object is the provision of a locking device of this character which is provided with means whereby a seal of ordinary construction may be placed in position, the seal of course, if broken, indicating that the lock has been tampered with by an unauthorized person;

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device of this character which will keep'the door stiles from pulling off and which will also keep the lock rails from bursting to pieces, and which will more-- over effectually brace and strengthen thedoor structure so that it will naturally have a longer life than is ordinarily the case.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to install, positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art. 7

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and the ar-- rangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompany the door and a portion of the car showing a plan view of the locking device.

Figure 3 is a view of the locking device alone showing the movable member swung into releasing or inoperative position permitting. the door to be opened.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section through the door showing an end elevation of the locking device, and

Figure 5 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letterA designates a portion of a freight car including the usual side sill B D designates the usual sliding door which is mounted in the customary manner and which is capable of being moved back and forth to cover or uncover the door "opening in the usual manner.

to which the siding C is secured. The letter In carrying out the invention, I provide a locking device or mechanism including a a base or plate portionll from which eX' tends a projecting portion 12. The portions 11 and 12 are in the same plane and provide means for securing the device in place, these portions being apertured for the passage of suitable bolts 13 which have their heads located at the outside of the car and which therefore cannot be removed from the outside, hence making the device burglar-proof. The supporting member 10 further includes a horizontally extending shelf or ledge portion- 14 which is slotted throughout the major portion of its length as indicated at 15 for a purpose to be described, and at the ends of the member 10 are webs 16 formed integrally with the shelf or ledge and with the plate portion 11 so as to provide a strong and rigid structure. At an intermediate portion, the member 10 is formed -with a block-like wall 17' recessed as indicated at 18, this recess registering with the slot 15 in the shelf or ledge. On the under for a purpose to be described.

The door engaging and holding member comprises an angular ar1n-2O which may likewise be formed as a casting and which includes a reducedor shank portion 21 extending through the slot 15 and pivoted within the recess as indicated at 22; This pivet'ispreferably an elon ated boltwhieh passes not only tl-n'on 'h the bracket member 10 but through the side sill of the car, the head being located at the outside thereof in order to prevent removal by an imauthorized person. The arm 20 terminates in a head 23 having a depending portion 2 extending outwardly of the adjacent web 16 at the end of the bracket support 10. Thehead is further formed with a flat surface 25 adapted to bear aga'ast the rear edge of the car door D at the lower corner thereof and is formed with an overhanging flange 26 which will extend outwardiy of the door and prevent the same from being swung or otherwise moved outwardly away from the side of the car as will be readily apparent. -l he construction and mounting of the arm 20 are such that when the arm is swung away from the car door the shank portion 21 will move through the slot 15 and be accommodated within a slot 27 in the end web 16 most re mote from the doon When in this position it is obvious that the head 23. will be disposed in a plane suilioiently low that-even the pro jecti'on 2% will be located at a pointslrightly beneath the level of the shelter ledge 14 so as to be in nonobstructing relation to: the door, thus permitting the door to he slid into its open position in the usual manner.

For effecting locking of the arm member 20 I preferably provide a bolt or pin 28 slidable through a suitable hole 29 in the web 16 nearest the door. and slidable tln'ough a here or hole 30 in the projection 19. The bore 30 is of peculiar formation: inasmuch as there. are two substantiallyopposite projections or ribs 31 which extend inwardly and which cooperate with portions of the bolt or pin forthe purposev of holding the latter against rotation. This pin or bolt is projectible through a suitable hole or opening. 32 in the projection 2 st of the locking arm so as to hold this arm positively against swinging movement into its door releasing position. The bolt or pin 28 and the projection 2i are formed with registering slots 33 and Si respectively through which may be passed a seal 35 of" ordinary construction. Obviously, the belt or pin can not. be retracted to release the locking armunless this seal be broken. As the seal is located in a low position it is more convenient to apply and read.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will be apparent that I have thus provided: a simply constructed, easily installed andeasi l y operated or controlled locking device for sliding doors of freight cars. I fact that when the lock is in its operative or door holding position a portion ofthe end bears flat against the rear edge of thedoor for holding it against the opposite jamb whilea portion overlies the door so as to hold it against the side of the car and prevent it Attention is invited to the from being moved away the-retrain. Ample provision has been made for locking the door holding arm in position and imparting a usual seal, destruction of which would of course'ind'i'cate that the car had been tampered. with. It is believed that the construction,"o1.ieration andadvantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be mild'erstoo-d that I reserve the right to make. such changes in. the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1% A locking device for a sliding freight car door, con'iprising a supporting member mounted upon the side of thecar at the lower portion thereof, an arm member pivoted upon said support and adapted to. abuttingly and overhanging-Ly engage a portion of the door, and abolt slidably mounted in said supporting member and engaging: said arm for holding the same against movement, said arm being swingable away from the door-to be disposed out of the path of movement thereof, said supporting member being slotted to accommodate the release position of the arm.

2. A lockingdevice for a freight car door, comprising a supporting'member of bracketlike formation mounted upon the side sill of the car and including a horizontal shelf portion and end web, said horizontal portion being formed: with a longitudinal slot extending clear to one end, and one web being slotted in registration with said first named slot, an arm extending through the first named slot and pivoted beneath the shelf portion of the supporting. bracket, said arm terminating in a head having a Hat face bearing against the. edge of the door and having a flange. overlyii ig the door.

3. A locking device for a freight car door, comprising a supporting member of bracketlike formation mounted upon. the side sill of the car and including a horizontal shel't portion and end web, said horizontal portion being formed with a longitudinal slot extending clear to one end and oneweb: being slotted in registration with said first named slot, an arm extending through the first named slot and pivoted beneath the shelf portion of the supporting bracket, said: arm terminating in a head having a flat face bearing. against the edgeo f the door andzhaving a flange overlying thev door, and a projection extending downwardly from the head and located adjacent the. other web, said last named web and said projection being formed with registering holes, and a lock bolt slidablymounted beneath the shelf L'Il portion of the supporting bracket and engageable through said holes for holding the arm against swinging movement.

4. A. locking device for a freight car door, comprising a supporting member of bracketlike formation mounted upon the side sill of the car and including a horizontal shelf portion and end web, said horizontal portion being formed with a longitudinal slot extending clear to one end and one web being slotted in registration with said first named slot, an arm extending through the first named slot and pivoted beneath the shelf portion of the supporting bracket, said arm I terminating in a head having a flat face bearlng against the edge of the door and having a flange overlying the door, and a projection extending down 'ardly from the head and located adjacent the other web, said last named web and said projection being formed with registering holes, and a lock bolt slidably mounted beneatl'i the shelf portion of the supporting bracket and engageable through said holes for holding the arm against swinging movement, a projeotion beneath the shelf bored out to constitute a guide for the bolt, the bolt and said last named projection being formed with registering slots receiving a seal. 7

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

OTIS D. PARKER. 

